Sound recording and reproducing apparatus



Feb. 13, 1962 H. MATUSCHE 3,021,145

SOUND RECORDING AND REPRODUCING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 29. 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l/VVE/WOR HE NZ MATUSCHE B) ZE/f/5L M/OLF HIS Arrow/EV Feb. 13, 1962 H. MATUSCHE SOUND RECORDING AND REPRODUCING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 29. 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 mum/v70 HE/NZ MATUSCHE by EZEK/EL. W01! 3,021,145 Patented Feb. 13, 1362 3,021,145 SOUND RECORDWG AND REPRODUCWG APPARATUS Heinz Matusche, Dall-Armistr. 23, Munich, Germany Filed Jan. 29, 1958, Ser. No. 7113M. Claims priority, application Germany Feb. 4, 1957 Claims. (Cl. 274-11) This invention relates to a further development of the i sound recording and reproducing apparatus described and shown in the co-pending patent application of Willy Milller et al., Serial No. 407,792, filed February 2, 1954, and assigned unto the firm Siid-Atlas-Werke G.m.b.H., for use with a wide endless sound band as record carrier adapted to be slipped on to a rotary feed cylinder from one end thereof, and a device for blocking and clearing respectively a lateral band insertion aperture and for simultaneously causing a sound recording or reproducing box and a pressing-on device to respectively engage with and disengage from the band. According to the abovementioned patent application this blocking and clearing device is so connected with a mechanical closure for the insertion aperture that the insertion aperture is only cleared for introducing or removing a band after the sound box and the pressing-on device have been moved away from the cylinder. While this arrangement reliably prevents the band from being damaged by slipping it onto the feed cylinder without disengaging therefrom the sound box and the pressingon device, it is nevertheless open to the objection that the band feed can be started even when, through carelessness, the insertion aperture has not been closed again after the introduction of a fresh band and consequently the sound box and pressing-on device have not been brought into operative position. It can then easily happen that the microphone is excited but no recording takes place because the band is not carried along by the cylinder when the pressing-on device is disengaged and the words spoken are not recorded on the band because the sound box is in inoperative position. This condition can very easily occur if the feed cylinder controls an optical signal, which may consist for example in the intermittent blinking of a pilot lamp and which is intended to indicate that the band feed is in operation.

It is known in connection with sound recording and reproducing apparatus to switch on the driving motor or the like by the movement of the band pressing-on roller. The invention utilizes this idea on an apparatus according to the patent application mentioned above.

In order to overcome this objection, the device for disengaging the sound box and pressing-on arrangement is therefore connected, according to the invention, with a contact for switching off the band feed and also the in operation signal, if any. It is ensured in this manner that, in the clearing position provided for exchanging the band, not only the magnet head or sound box and the pressing-on arrangement are disengaged, but also that the band feed and the in operation signal are interrupted, so that the apparatus can be started up only when the insertion aperture is closed or blocked and both the sound box and the pressing-on arrangement are in operative position.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which- FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus according to the present invention, the section being taken substantially on line I-I of FIG. 2;

FIG. 2 is a section taken on line II lI of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of FIG. I viewed in the direction of the arrow HI, and

FIG. 4 is a section similar to FIG. 2, but showing the apparatus in band exchanging position.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, an apparatus according to the invention includes a horizontal cylinder 1 rotatably mounted at one end thereof in a bracket 17 and adapted to be rotated by a motor, not shown, in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 2. The cylinder 1 serves for feeding a wide endless sound band 2 past a sound box 4 and for this purpose the sound band is pressed against the cylinder 1 by a resilient roller 3 rotatable about an axle 47.

The apparatus is normally accommodated in a housing, not shown, which has in its rear side an aperture to allow free passage for the slack end or loop of the band 2, and laterally of said aperture an insertion aperture is provided in the housing adjacent the free end of the cylinder 1 for slipping the band 2 thereon. Between the rear aperture and the cylinder 1, ample space is provided in which the band 2 can be accommodated in the form of a double loop when the apparatus is not in use.

Also carried by the bracket 17 is a spindle 18 for guiding the sound box 4 across the band 2 when recording or reproducing. The spindle 18 is surrounded by a tube 19 which has at both ends bearings for the spindle. The sound box 4 is carried by a block 21 which is slidable but not rotatable on the tube 19.

The sound box 4 is pivotally mounted on the carrier block 21 by means of a lever 27 loaded by a spring 24 so that, in operative position, the sound box bears against the cylinder 1 with suflicient pressure.

The spindle 18 is driven by means not shown on the drawings, such as spur wheels positively connected with the carrier cylinder 1 which, in turn, is driven preferably by a friction wheel gear from the motor likewise not shown on the drawings.

The record band 2 can be slipped on to the free end of the cylinder 1 only after a blocking lever 37 secured on an axle 38 has been swung in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 2 from a blocking position indicated by broken lines in FIG. 2, to a clearing position indicated by broken lines in FIG. 4, whereby to expose the insertion aperture in the housing. The sound box 4 and the pressing-on roller 3 for the band are positively connected with the blocking member 37 in such a manner that they are moved away from the cylinder 1 as the blocking member 37 is swung into clearing position.

For this purpose catches or cams 42, 43 are mounted on the axle 38 of the blocking member 37, as described in the above-mentioned patent application. The cam 42 is constructed as a bar extending over the entire length of the spindle 18 or sound box guide and on being turned in counter clockwise direction bears against a stop 4! on the sound box 4. The cam 43 at the same time depresses a lever 44 which is pivotable about an axle 45 mounted in the housing of the apparatus. The lever 44 carries the pressing-on roller 3 by means of a strap or lug 46 supporting one end of the axle 47 of the pressing-on roller. The other end of the axle 47 forms an extension 47a which is yieldably mounted by a flexible sheet metal strip 48 secured at one end to the housing. The axle 47 of the pressing-on roller is guided by the arms of a fork 50 and constantly urged against the cylinder 1 by a leaf spring 49 so that the roller 3 is returned into its operative position when the member 37 is swung into its blocking position.

To prevent the member 37 from unintentionally moving into its blocking position when clearing the insertion aper-' ture, the free end of the lever 44 carries a spring 51 which, in the clearing position, engages with its bent up end behind the cam 43 and thus holds the axle 38 with the cams 42, 43 as well as the blocking member 37, the sound box 4 and pressing-on roller 3 in the position for slipping on or removing from the cylinder 1 a band 2. To prevent the hand drive from starting up in this position, a contact 52 is provided which is actuated, for example by the axle of the pressing-n roller 3, and closes the circuit of a manually operated start-stop device with the result that the friction wheel gear is uncoupled in known manner with the aid of an electromagnet not shown in the drawings. Consequently, the cylinder 1 remains stationary and a switch cam or the like, not shown but normally provided on said cylinder, can no longer operate a blinker sign-a1 contact which may be provided to indicate that the cylinder is running. In the clearing position of the member 37, in which the contact 52 in the start-stop circuit is closed, the stopped position of the cylinder 1 cannot be changed even by actuating switches arranged parallel to the contact 52 and accommodated in a microphone or in a remote control apparatus not shown in the drawings. Consequently, owing to the fact that the apparatus can no longer be set in operation, the operator will notice that he has omitted to move the member 37 into its blocking position.

Various modifications and other constructions are possible within the scope of the invention. Thus, for example, the contact for interrupting the band feed and the running signal can be actuated by some other element moved during the clearing of the insertion aperture or the lifting off of the sound box and the pressing-on roller, instead of by the pivot axle of the pressing-on roller.

In the case of an apparatus which is stopped by interrupting the start-stop circuit rather than by closing it, the operating contact 52 will be replaced by a rest contact and connected up in series with other remote control switches.

I claim:

1. In a sound recording and reproducing apparatus including a sound box for use with a wide endless sound band as record carrier adapted to be slipped on a rotary band feed cylinder from one end thereof, -a pressing-on device for urging said band into contact with said cylinder, driving means for imparting rotary motion to said cylinder means defining a lateral insertion aperture for the band, means for blocking and clearing respectively said aperture simultaneously with causing said sound box and said pressing-on device to respectively engage the band with and disengage the band from said cylinder, and means including a contact responsive to said blocking and clearing means opening said aperture for disabling ,said driving means.

2. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said blocking and clearing means includes, an axle, cams on said axle for mechanically disengaging said sound box and said pressingon device from the band on said cylinder and at the same time causing actuation of said contact for disabling said driving means, a blocking lever arranged to turn said axle to operate said cams when said lever is blocking said aperture, and springs for holding said lever in blocking and clearing positions.

3. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 and further comprising, a manually operated start-stop device controlling the band feed, the latter device including said contact.

4-. In a sound recording and reproducing apparatus including a sound box for use with a wide endless sound belt as record carrier adapted to he slipped on a rotary feed cylinder from one end thereof, apparatus comprising, a support housing including means defining an insertion aperture through which said belt is inserted, a roller rotatable about an axis generally parallel to the axis of said feed cylinder and arranged to normally urge said belt against said feed cylinder, an axle generally parallel to said cylinder axis and rotatably supported by said housing, means for normally urging said sound box in contact with said belt, a blocking lever extending radially from said axle and moveable into a blocking position which obstructs said aperture and into a clear position unblocking said aperture, means for imparting rotation to said cylinder, normally closed contacts for coupling power to said rotation imparting means, cams on said axle opposite said sound box, said contacts and said roller, said cams being arranged on said axle so that movement of said blocking lever into said clear position causes said cams to open said contacts, and move said sound box and said roller away from said cylinder.

5. Apparatus in accordance with claim 4 and further comprising spring means for retaining said blocking lever in said blocked and cleared positions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,318,828 Yerkovicn May 11, 1943 2,341,468 Neumann Feb. 8, 1944 2,371,116 Yerkovich et al. Mar. 6, 1945 2,410,569 Conant Nov. 5, 1946 2,515,688 Beard et al July 18, 1950 2,702,710 Conrad Feb. 22, 1955. 2,900,191 Roberts Aug. 18, 1959- 2,931,692 Yontar Apr. 5, 1960 2,951,127 Pierson et a1. Aug. 30, 19601 

